BOC Minutes October 28 2013
October 28, 2013
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PERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OCTOBER 28, 2013
MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT
Jimmy B. Clayton Heidi York, County Manager
Kyle W. Puryear
B. Ray Jeffers Brenda B. Reaves, Clerk to the Board
Frances P. Blalock
David Newell, Sr.
The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in
regular session on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 6:30 pm at the Ceffo Volunteer Fire
Department located at 1291 Concord-Ceffo Road, Roxboro for the purpose of holding an
informal “Community Conversations” meeting to receive feedback from the community about
services and suggestions for improving County Government.
Chairman Clayton called the meeting to order. County Manager, Heidi York
welcomed the group. Attendees were given the opportunity to sign up with the Clerk to
the Board to address the Board or the option to write down questions or comments to be
read. A total of 23 people were in attendance which included Board members, County
staff and citizens.
County Manager, Heidi York told the group the Community Conversations
meetings were developed to show more transparency in county government as well as
give the public a chance to speak to the commissioners about community priorities. Ms.
York highlighted the October 2013 handout entitled What’s Happening in Person County
Government? which was presented to all attendees upon arrival. The handout included
updates on stormwater, public safety communication system/broadband, capital projects,
strategic plan and announced school recycling grant winners as well as gave an overview
of the budget basics which includes neighboring counties’ tax rates, explained where
revenue is gained and to which county services or function areas it is spent.
Citizens that participated in the community meeting were:
Marji Stehle of 159 Possum Trot Lane, Semora (and spouse, Al), residents at
Hyco Lake spoke of the need for a location within the county for yard waste disposal.
Ms. Stehle stated the lake properties are the highest tax assessed properties but the
County lacks services, i.e. yard disposal site and Recreation & Senior Center that are
available in other communities.
Jerry Winstead of 1736 Concord Church Road, Roxboro, resident at Hyco Lake
asked the Board for a tax break noting his disagreement on the recent tax revaluation
resulting in lake properties increasing in value supporting the other parts of the County.
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Patricia (PJ) Gentry of 541 Byrd Creek Lane, Hurdle Mills addressed the Board
on the need for an overall plan for the county, the need to overlap resources, as well as
improvements for carrying out the Person Future’s Strategic Plan. Ms. Gentry questioned
the priority of projects noting the location or timing as the issue and encouraged
government to pursue private industry partnerships.
Vicki Holt of 142 Sunset Point Drive, Semora inquired about recruitment of better
restaurants for the County.
Daniel Duncan of 705 McGhees Mill Road, Semora asked for an explanation for
what the stormwater fees are being used for as well as why his one-half acre value was
doubled if the lot size was too small to build.
Elsie Grant of 5517 McGhees Mill Road, Semora had questions related to
helicopters in the area and the moving of dirt in the area as well as requested more
recreational opportunities in the Ceffo area.
David Clayton of 2061 Morton Pulliam Road, Roxboro requested help from the
Board of Commissioners about convincing NC Dept. of Transportation (NCDOT) to
lower speed limits on Morton Pulliam Road at and near the Five Forks areas whereby
five roads intersect noting there is an unsafe blind curve that poses danger. Mr. Clayton
noted he had met with representatives from NCDOT without success.
Responses:
Vice Chairman Jeffers requested Ms. York to find out where the City of Roxboro
takes yard waste for chipping.
Assistant County Manager, Sybil Tate and County Manager, Heidi York
discussed with the group the steps taken for the five strategic groups to be created by the
citizens with the goals determined from input by the citizen groups at public meetings
noting an Executive Committee consisting of a member from each group lists priorities to
recommend to the Board at its annual retreat. Commissioner Blalock credited former
Commissioner Sam Kennington for the current Strategic Plan vision noting over 100
citizens participated to voice ideas. Vice Chairman Jeffers added the low cost or no cost
goals have been targeted with action with the larger funding priorities to be included in
the Capital Improvement Plan for implementation. Vice Chairman Jeffers stated the idea
of a more traditional plan incorporating the Future’s Plan for training within the County
to match the industry within the County so not to lose jobs outside Person County. Ms.
Tate noted she would obtain Ms. Gentry’s contact info to include on upcoming strategic
input opportunities.
Commissioner Newell explained traffic counts, income variables and population
requirements are all hindering factors for restaurants to locate in the City of Roxboro and
Person County.
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Economic development measures were discussed including improving quality of
life for current citizens as well as attracting new industry and residents. Vice Chairman
Jeffers explained the steps taken to work toward the citizen’s request for a Recreation &
Senior Center since the November election in 2008 to identify the most fiscally viable
location option with low interest rates for financing of such project. Commissioner
Blalock and Ms. York noted a dozen public forums were held receiving public comments
related to the proposed Recreation & Senior Center. Vice Chairman Jeffers added the
average Person County salary is lower than the average household due to many residents
working out of town reiterating his efforts to improve quality of life to keep citizens in
Person County.
Commissioner Puryear advocated for better communication with government
entities, a lower tax rate with opposition to the state imposed rules for stormwater
regulations which have hurt development.
Ms. Tate, Ms. York and Chairman Clayton explained the state mandate for
stormwater regulations noting fees are used for membership dues, for access to
stormwater consultants and engineers noting water sampling data is also planned to be
collected to make the argument that Person County is not the cause of harmful pollutants
into the water supply of the Falls Lake. Commissioner Puryear noted his opposition to
pass along the fees to the residents of the county noting his preference to use general
funds received from property taxes to appropriate the costs of stormwater rules as well as
encouraged the idea of requesting a state injunction to suspend implementation until the
data is collected. Commissioner Puryear stated his opinion that the consultant firm and
the data monitoring will drag on for years.
Mr. Duncan, present in the audience, stated his opinion that the helicopters were
spraying the path of the utility lines for weed control and that Duke Energy was moving
top soil for use of the clay soil underneath at the plant. County staffs were unaware of
the two activities mentioned.
Vice Chairman Jeffers stated the County had heard similar recreational concerns
in the Bethel Hill area as Ms. Grant raised and would ask that staff review possible
equipment use at the nearby school, Woodland.
Commissioner Newell told the group of the opportunity for citizens to appeal their
property values again in 2014.
Tax Administrator, Russell Jones stated the tax schedules of values are based on
the January 2013 value with adjustments made for errors, incorrect measurements, and
misinformed data. Mr. Jones noted a reduction in taxes might be in order if a property
owner’s one-half acre lot does not perk or was not grandfathered as a buildable lot that
could support a well and septic service.
October 28, 2013
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Chairman Clayton and Ms. York thanked everyone for attending the Community
Conversations meeting.
RECESS:
A motion was made by Commissioner Blalock, and carried 5-0 to recess the
meeting at 8:14 pm until 6:30 pm on November 4, 2013 for the purpose of Closed
Session for the purpose of considering appointment of individuals through an informal
interview process with applicants of competitive committee, boards, and commissions per
General Statutes 143-318.11(a)(6).
_____________________________ ______________________________
Brenda B. Reaves Jimmy B. Clayton
Clerk to the Board Chairman